Wedge.



D. F. MANNING.

WEDGE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12, 1917.

1,261,834.. Patented Apr. 9,1918.

avwzmtoz TTTQTE @TAT DON F. MANNING, 0F VALLEY HEAD, ALABAMA.

WEDGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

Application filed April 12, 1917. SerialNo. 161,635.

.ilalmua. have invented. a new and useful \Ved e: and I do herebv'declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

- The invention relates to wedges, being particularly a wedge designed for the use of lumber-men for felling and s slitting lumber.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and durable device of this character capable of being easily driven in timber without the liability of the wedge changing its course when being struck by an ax or maul.

A further object i to provide a wedge which will prevent the two halves of a. log being sawed from twisting or turning with re pect to each other.

A still further object is to provide a wedge having ribs centrally disposed on its side faces and running longitudinally along the faces. the ribs being sharpened to a knife edge to allow them to cut their way in.

A still further object is to provide a wedge with centrally disposed longitudinal ribs on its side faces and to provide teeth on the edges of the ribs.

Gther objects will appear in the detailed description which follows.

The actual reduction to practice may disclose certain advantages which can be derived by deviation from the structure shown in thedrawings, and the right is claimed to deviate from these structures to any extent compatible with the spirit of the appended claim.

The same numerals of reference designate the same parts in all of the figure of the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an edge elevation of the improved wedge, constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. :2 is a perspective view of the wedge.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the wedge.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

In the drawing 1 represents a wedge which may be formed of any suitable material and is provided with a flat head 2 whose corners are rounded, as indicated at 3, to prevent the head from expanding Or having its corners or edges broken oil when struck by an ax or maul. Y

The wedge l is provided with the ribs 7, which are serrated, leaving the teeth 8 with upper faces 9 substantially perpendicular with a line-projected through the center of the wedge. The bottom faces 10 of the teeth i 8 are inclined'toward the side faces of the wedge but at a more acute angle from the horizontal than the side faces of the wedge incline. The advantage of serrating the ribs is apparent. When the wedge has been driven into a cut, the serrations preclude its backing out and it may always be driven forward to maintain firm contact with both sides of the cut because of the shape of the serration. The ribs 7 themselves are de signed to be removable from the wedge 1,

being affixed to the wedge by insertion in the tapering dovetail slots formed in the raised portion 11 on the side faces of the wedge.

t will be seen that the tapering shape of the slots in the raised portions 11 tends to tighten the rib 7 in the slots when the wedge is being driven in a cut.

The invention having been described, what is claimed as new and useful is:

wardly a removable rib V-shaped in cross section dovetailed upwardly and longitudinally into said channel and being tapered upwardly to correspondingly fit the channel, the outer edge of said rib having upwardly and outwardly inclined ratchet teeth, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DON MANNING.'

Witnesses:

G. Y. CULBERsoN, B. R. THORNBURY.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0. 

